Rodrygo Opens Up About Career’s Toughest Moment and Ancelotti’s Role

Real Madrid’s rising star, Rodrygo Goes, has candidly discussed the most challenging moment of his career in a recent interview, revealing that it occurred while representing Brazil rather than his time in Madrid.

At the youthful age of 22, Rodrygo is expected to step into the role of a leading scorer for Real Madrid this season, particularly following Karim Benzema’s departure. Despite his youth, he boasts significant experience at the highest level, including triumphs in the Champions League, La Liga, and 14 international caps.

Interestingly, it was during his journey with Brazil that he faced his most difficult moment. In a penalty shootout during their quarter-final match against Croatia, Rodrygo missed the opening and ultimately decisive penalty.

“The World Cup was a dream, and that moment was the most painful in my career. While I know there are many games left for me to play, I don’t see it as a failure but rather as a part of the process one must endure. Life is not easy, and no one has a flawless journey. I accepted it as such, though I was saddened for a few days. I am entirely focused on returning and winning a World Cup, at the very least,” Rodrygo expressed in an interview with Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte, as reported by Marca.

As Real Madrid’s previous season neared its conclusion, substantial rumors swirled linking his current manager, Carlo Ancelotti, to the Brazil national team coaching position.

“I believe Ancelotti’s focus is on Real Madrid. He holds a contract and will remain for this season. Beyond that, I cannot say.”

While these speculations have cooled down, thanks to the interim appointment of Fluminense Manager Fernando Diniz, the President of the Brazilian Football Confederation has publicly stated that Ancelotti will assume the role next summer.

“We must utilize this period during which Diniz is our coach. His appointment was somewhat surprising due to his previous stint with Fluminense. I believe he can mesh well with the national team. Players who have previously worked with him speak highly of his methods and the style of play his teams exhibit.”

Rodrygo also delved into the contrasting coaching approaches of Ancelotti and Diniz. He first discussed Ancelotti’s tactics.

“Under Ancelotti, there’s an emphasis on swift counterattacks, although, due to the attributes of our players, ball possession remains crucial. With Diniz, the approach centers around maintaining consistent possession, employing a touch-based style to advance toward the opponent’s goal. They exhibit differences, which is the case with all coaches.”

With Brazil’s World Cup quarter-final exits in the past two editions, Ancelotti’s Champions League pedigree suggests he’s perceived as the catalyst to elevate the team’s performance to a championship level.